The fleet traveled for three days, heading south along the edge of the demonic Hell Sea, which was covered with dark clouds and sometimes flashing lightning. The officers and soldiers stationed in the garrison looked at this spectacle on the sea with horrified faces.
Somewhere along the way, the fleet stopped. Matsuda Kenhide, who had just vomited out his bile, was pulled up from the deck by Kimura: "Matsuda-kun, we are about to enter the Sea of Evil Spirits, look!"
The Sea of Evil Spirits is the name of the Yingzhou people for the Sea of Demonic Hell. For them, this is the legendary forbidden land. After listening to Kimura’s words, Matsuda Kenhide barely resisted dizziness, raised his head forcibly, and tried to open his eyes to see
The ship went into a thick fog.
"It turns out that the Sea of Evil Spirits is like this..." Matsuda Kenhide could no longer hold on. He lay on the side of the ship and vomited again. He vomited and vomited, and his body fell weakly. Kimura waved his hand and directed the two
Ashigaru carried Matsuda Kenhide down: "You can consider him seeing it, let him go down and rest. He's dizzy like this, why bother coming up to see..."
Although the Demonic Hell Sea is scary, the scenery is really charming. Seasick people like Matsuda missed it, but people like Kimura who don't get seasick are in for a treat.
Fairy Caiwei stood on the guidance boat at the front and murmured to the escorting Tingfeng Taoist: "The Ming Dynasty has so many soldiers. Instead of moving them from the mainland, they have to go all the way from Yingzhou. What's the point?"
Tingfeng Daoren, the commander of the Yingzhou Squadron who was finally promoted to the master-training realm and removed the word "quan", replied: "Abbot Zhao said that the expedition is both propaganda and training. It is a process that tempers people's hearts. By looking at the world from a broad perspective, we can make people
The people of Yingzhou are more devoted to the Ming Dynasty and to Taoism. This group of Yingzhou expeditionary troops is the seed."
The moment the ship group emerged from the Demonic Hell Sea, the sea suddenly opened up, so the sergeants cheered in unison. This cheering woke up Matsuda Kenhide in the cabin below the deck. He struggled to get up. Although his steps were frivolous, he was
I can walk up on my own.
"Matsuda-kun, are you feeling better?"
"Kimura-kun, where are you?"
"We have arrived at the East China Sea, it only took twelve days!"
"Ah, so I completely missed the Sea of Evil Spirits..."
The fleet headed all the way east, approaching the Shandong Peninsula, then turned south along the coast, occasionally landing on shore for repairs. Every officer and soldier stationed in the garrison was like a pilgrim, eyes wide open, watching everything in front of them.
"Dear Xizi, I have overcome the initial seasickness and adapted to sea navigation. It only took us twelve days to reach Ming Dynasty, which is thousands of miles away. Passing through the Sea of Evil Spirits is actually not that far away. Listen.
Kimura said that in the Sea of Evil Spirits, there are strange clouds, lightning all over the sky, a very close rainbow, and a beautiful island like a fairyland. Unfortunately, I was unable to see it with my own eyes because of seasickness, which made me very regretful. But
Like everyone else, I am looking forward to the next voyage even more, because we will dock in Quanzhou and set foot on the Ming Dynasty for the first time..."
"Dear Xizi, Commander Tingfeng is leading the fleet to Yingtian, which is the Kyoto of the Ming Dynasty. It is said that there are one million people living in the city. There are only 100,000 people in Edo City, which is already the largest city in the east of Yingzhou.
There are actually one million people in Yingtian. Can you imagine what kind of huge city this is? Unfortunately, we are unable to go because of military affairs. We have to continue sailing to Li Country..."
"Dear Xizi, I saw a towering lighthouse. The light from the lighthouse illuminated the entire sea area. It is said that this is the tallest lighthouse in the world. Kimura and I stood under the tower and looked up, and our waists almost bent over.
, but still can’t see the top of the tower..."
"Dear Xizi, we arrived at Qinzhou Port, which is the busiest port in the South China Sea. We were lucky enough to rest here for fifteen days. After landing, all of us were shocked by the prosperity in front of us. Kimura counted the people on the pier.
He only counted half of the piers before he lost count. There were so many ships! We were lucky enough to stay in a military camp outside the city. Yesterday afternoon, everyone got permission to visit the city. Xizi, Street
It is too wide, there are too many people, and the streets are full of shops, making it impossible to go shopping. There are 200,000 people in Qinzhou Port, twice as many as Edo, but I heard that there are only a few such cities in the Ming Dynasty.
Ten seats, hundreds of seats! Xizi, I will definitely take you to Qinzhou to see it in the future. This is the prosperous world I told you. Commander Kumamoto said that Edo will be like this in the future..."
"Dear Xizi, the day of the expedition is coming. This morning, His Excellency the Emperor sent us a military armor. This is a real cowhide military armor with fine steel plates on the chest. The armor is engraved with
Wonderful runes. It is said that after we go to the battlefield, the monks of the Ming Dynasty will activate the runes, and the armor on our bodies can withstand the enemy's swords and guns! Now I finally understand why we were unable to defeat Zeng when Odawara joined forces.
Your Majesty's military formation, we are so stupid. How can we win in a battle with such a military formation? Everyone took off their rattan armor and put on the military armor sent by His Excellency the Supreme Prince. Xi Zi, I have a stronger one.
Confidence, I can make meritorious service and go home..."
"Dear Xizi, we are about to board the ship. I will also write to you. You can also write to me. After writing, hand it over to the Taoist Temple. Taoist Liang will collect everyone's letters from home and send them by boat.
In front of the army..."
A hurried call came from the door: "Matsuda-kun, hurry up, we are going to the pier to board the ship soon. We are waiting for you!"
Matsuda Kenhide couldn't write any more, so he stuffed the letter into the envelope he had written, sealed it, grabbed his big backpack, hurried out the door, turned around and stuffed the letter into the mailbox at the entrance of the military camp, and then
Quickly came to the queue of the third battalion.
The five general flag teams stood neatly on the school field, waiting for orders in high spirits. Matsuda Kenhide nodded with satisfaction and waved: "Let's go!"
It was still a troop transport ship of the Yingzhou Squadron, but this time the escort fleet had been replaced by a warship of the Second South China Sea Squadron. The entire fleet raised sails and anchored, and headed for Xinping Mansion in Li State.
After three days of sailing, they joined a larger fleet. In the sea area within sight alone, there were two battleships, eight heavy destroyers, and countless other frigates and patrol ships. All ships were targeting
The battle flag, the sailors and sergeants on the deck looked serious, and they no longer looked as leisurely as before.
On April 29, the main force of the South China Sea Squadron arrived at the coast of Xin Binh Prefecture in Li State. Close to the coastline, it is the outlet of Xianghe River. A village made of wood and wood stands on the seaside.
Matsuda Kenhide was told that this is Xinping Fort, a fort of Xinping Mansion of Li State that guards the river. Li State has stationed 1,600 people here. There are French crossbows, trebuchets, etc. in the fort, but there are no Li State warships coming out to meet the enemy.
, it is said that a naval battle broke out last month, and more than ten large ships were sunk by the South China Sea Squadron, and they never dared to go to sea to fight again.
A moment later, the battleship Guangxi issued an order announcing that the landing operation had officially begun.